Capítulo de livro

From Ivory Tablets to Honeybees: Deciphering Augustine’s Letter to Romanianus ( Ep. 15)

2017; Brepols; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1484/m.ipm-eb.5.113895

ISSN

2294-8457

Autores

Angela Zielinski Kinney,

Tópico(s)

Classical Antiquity Studies

Resumo

Augustine's fifteenth epistle is a short missive written to Romanianus, his patron and friend from childhood. The letter is essentially bipartite. The first half concerns realia, especially the material upon which the letter itself is written. The second half of the letter is an exhortation to contemplation, including direct quotation from the Aeneid. Romanianus must have shared some good news with his friend, as Augustine encourages him to consider the value and dangers of his earthly success in a paragraph containing Christian, philosophical, and pagan reminiscences. The threat of death looms over this section of the letter, which ends with a curious line about the risk of bees drowning in their own honey.

Referência(s)